Tuesday Briefing: Heat Index to 107, Renters' Rights, School Diversity Awards, Opioid Task Force, Palm Coast Budget

Nina deBodisco, a fifth-grade teacher at Bunnell Elementary School and DeAndre Harris, an intervention teacher at Wadsworth Elementary School (above) are the first “Flagler Schools Excellence in Diversity Education Award” winners. The award is sponsored by the Flagler Schools Minority Educator Recruitment and Retention Committee and the African American Entrepreneur Association. Both deBodisco and Harris were honored for demonstrating a commitment to cultural awareness and encouraging a multicultural approach with their students, colleagues, school, and/or community. They have both had a positive impact in advancing diversity and inclusion. Earlier this year, Flagler schools formed the Flagler Schools Minority Educator Recruitment and Retention Committee. This was done in collaboration with Daytona State College and Bethune Cookman University. The primary goal of this committee is to increase minority teacher representation at all levels. It is believed this will also alleviate teacher shortages. Additionally, the committee wants to see a more culturally enriched environment, done through recruiting, hiring, developing, supporting, and retaining a racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse teaching administrative workforce. If you would like additional information about this program, contact Mr. Ben Osypian, Chief Human Resources Officer for Flagler Schools at (386) 437-7526. (Flagler Schools)

Today: Mostly sunny in the morning, then partly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 90s. Northwest winds 5 to 10 mph shifting to the northeast in the afternoon. Heat index readings 103 to 107. Tonight: Partly cloudy. Chance of showers and slight chance of thunderstorms in the evening. Lows in the mid 70s. South winds 5 mph shifting to the southwest after midnight. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Today’s document from the National Archives and the Astronomy Picture of the Day.
Today’s tides: at the beaches, at the Intracoastal Waterway.
Drought Index: 71
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day: contraption.
The Live Community Calendar
Today’s jail bookings.

Today’s Briefing: Quick Links

First Light
In Flagler and Palm Coast
Flagler Jail Bookings and Last 24 Hours of Incident Reports
Flagler Beach A1A Construction Updates
US 1-Old Dixie Highway Roundabout Construction Updates
Announcements
In State Government
In Coming Days in Flagler, Palm Coast and Beyond
Fact-Checking the Knaves
Palm Coast Construction and Development
Cultural Coda

“There’s a solid argument to be made that Florida is our most surreal state. It isn’t the only American state with deranging humidity levels and primordial swamps populated by giant predatory reptiles, but of all 50 states Florida arguably does the best impression of a fever dream. It’s the state with the mermaids, the state where you have to drive north to get to the South, and I’m surely not the first to notice that it’s either the point of origin or the long-term home of several of our most original short story writers: Lauren Groff of Gainesville, Laura van den Berg of Orlando, Kelly Link and Karen Russell of Miami.”

–Emily St. John Mandel, in her review of Karen Russell’s “Orange World and Other Stories,” The New York Times Book Review, May 17, 2019.

Previously:

In Flagler and Palm Coast:

Note: all government meetings noticed below are free and open to the public unless otherwise indicated. Many can be heard or seen live through each agency’s website.

The Sheriff’s daily incident reports and jail bookings are posted here.

In Court: Joseph Colon, who faces a first-degree murder charge in the November 2017 death of Savannah DeAngelis, who overdosed on heroin shortly after accepting delivery of drugs allegedly from Colon, is scheduled for a docket sounding, the last step before trial, before Circuit Judge Terence Perkins at 1:30 p.m. at the Flagler County courthouse, in Courtroom 401. Scheduled in the same session is a bond hearing for Roy Carlisi, who twice violated his pre-trial release conditions within nine days.

The Palm Coast City Council meets in workshop at 9 a.m. at City Hall. The workshop is focused on the city’s 2019-20 budget, with a discussion on taxes.

Renters’ rights: Flagler County’s housing division presents a Renter’s Rights Workshop at 5:30 p.m. at the Government Services Building 2, Room 3 (3rd Floor), 1769 East Moody Blvd, Bunnell. Learn about Landlord-Tenant and Fair Housing laws. Attorneys from Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida will present Rights and Responsibilities as a Renter at this free, educational event. The workshop will not include individual legal consultations. For additional information contact Flagler County SHIP Housing Administrator Ralston Reodica: [email protected], (386) 313-4037 extension 5. The workshop is open to all at no charge.

The Flagler County Opioid Task Force meets at 6 p.m. at the Flagler County Public Library, 2500 Palm Coast Parkway. The task force will meet the fourth Tuesday of every month at the library through November.

Sheriff’s Palm Coast District Office Moving: The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Palm Coast District 2 Office, currently located at 160 Cypress Point Parkway Suite C-107 in Palm Coast, will be moving to 17 North Old Kings Road, Suite D, in Palm Coast. Due to the move, the Palm Coast District Office will be closed to the public on Wednesday, June 26th. The Palm Coast District Office will re-open to the public on Thursday, June 27th at 8 a.m. at 17 North Old Kings Road, Suite D, in Palm Coast. Anyone needing assistance during the move can visit the Flagler County Court House located at 1769 East Moody Boulevard, Building 1, in Bunnell on weekdays between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. After going through the security process, the Sheriff’s Office is located in the front window directly to the right of the elevators. The phone number is 386-437-4116. (See the story, “Sheriff’s Palm Coast Precinct Will Return to Former Space On Old Kings Road.”)

Blood Donations: The Big Red Bus will be at the following locations this week (schedule your donation by going to the website and entering a Palm Coast zip code, then locating one of the venues below):

Tuesday: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, 4600 Belle Terre Parkway, Palm Coast, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Tuesday: Flagler Technical Institute: 5400 State Road 100, Palm Coast, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Jail Bookings and Last 24 Hours' Incidents in Flagler, Palm Coast, Flagler Beach, Bunnell


Jail Bookings, June 19-22 Sheriff's night shift incident reports, June 21 Sheriff's day shift incident reports, June 21 Flagler Beach's night shift incident reports, June 21 Flagler Beach's day shift incident reports, June 21 Bunnell police's night shift incident reports, June 21 Bunnell police's day shift incident reports, June 21
Previous and archived reports

Sources: Flagler County Sheriff's Office, Flagler Beach Police Department, Bunnell Police Department. This is Flagler County's only comprehensive, one-stop compilation of all local law enforcement's daily day and night shift commanders' reports.

Flagler Beach Is Open For Business: A1A Construction Update:

FlaglerLive is providing weekly updates to year-long construction on and near State Road A1A in Flagler Beach as the Florida Department of Transportation rebuilds a 1.5-mile segment from South 9th Street to South 22nd Street, and builds a sea wall at the north end of town. These updates are provided through DOT or local officials. If you have any relevant information or images, you’re welcome to email them to the editor here.

Last Updated: June 16

Protecting Turtles

Now that turtle nesting season has started in the Flagler Beach area, local Turtle Patrol volunteers are checking the beach within the project limits every day to locate any new nests. In Segment 3, north of North 18th Street, work cannot begin until the beach is checked. If a nest is discovered, the nest will be marked, and work will not be allowed within 10 feet of the nest, as specified in the environmental permits issued for this project.

The Turtle Patrol also is monitoring the beach in the project limits of Segment 1, from South 25th Street to South 22nd Street, where plans call for dune revetment involving additional sand and plants.

Segment 1 South 25th Street to South 22nd Street):

We have received a lot of questions about the plants that are to be used on the project. A registered landscape architect developed the plans and the contractor is installing the plants per the plan. Seashore Paspalum, Sea Oats and Saltmeadow Cordgrass cover most of the area. There are also sections of Saw Palmetto and Railroad Vine.

About 60% of the plants have been installed. The contractor is awaiting receipt of the rest of the material.

We also have received questions about the area between South 23rd Street and South 22nd Street where no work is occurring. The department did not include this block in the revetment project for various reasons, including limitations regarding right of way. The dune in this area is being addressed as part of Flagler County’s project with the Army Corps of Engineers, which will be done after our project is finished. In the meantime, the department will continue to monitor the dunes and will take steps if the situation is impacting the roadway.

Segment 2 (South 22nd Street to South 9th Street):

The contractor has completed installation of the new water main, and will be switching over remaining customers to the new line over the next three weeks. Customers will experience a short interruption of service during the transfer. This is usually no more than 30 minutes. The contractor will attempt to notify customers prior to the interruption.

Work on the French drain installation is occurring to the north of South 13th Street. The contractor plans to install the French drain from South 19th Street to South 13th Streets once the utility work is complete, likely starting the week of June 24.

Also during the week of June 24, the contractor expects to begin constructing the new southbound side of the roadway from South 22nd Street up to South 19th Street. During this work, access from S.R. A1A will only be maintained for residences and businesses that have no other access available. Residents and businesses can expect this situation to remain in place for several weeks.

Roadway construction will follow installation of the French drain as it progresses north of South 19th Street.

The contractor also will be constructing new sidewalk between South 13th and South 19th streets over the next few weeks.

Segment 3 (North 18th Street to Osprey Drive) Project Update:

The contractor completed placing guide wall and is expecting to finish drilling the concrete piles for the secant wall in early July. Crews will continue working on forming and pouring the concrete cap that completes the wall construction. The first plants also have been installed.

See Also:

The proposed roundabout at the intersection of Old Dixie Highway and U.S. 1 is intended to drastically reduce the number of severe crashes at one of the county's most dangerous intersections. Two other such roundabouts are proposed for other dangerous intersections in Flagler. Click on the image for larger view. (DOT) — The proposed roundabout at the intersection of Old Dixie Highway and U.S. 1 is intended to drastically reduce the number of severe crashes at one of the county’s most dangerous intersections. Two other such roundabouts are proposed for other dangerous intersections in Flagler. Click on the image for larger view.
(DOT)

U.S. 1 and Old Dixie Highway Roundabout Construction Updates:

FlaglerLive is providing weekly updates to the planned 15-month, $4.1 million construction of a roundabout at U.S. 1 and Old Dixie Highway. The project started in late January and is scheduled for completion by spring 2020.

The Florida Department of Transportation will be closing Old Dixie Highway and C.R. 325 at U.S. 1 on Monday night, March 4, from about 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. The closure is needed to allow the contractor to make improvements to the crossover at the temporary intersection. U.S. 1 will remain open in both directions.

More details here.

See Also:

I-95 Construction, Repaving: Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 9 p.m., single lane closures on NB I-95 from north of Palm Coast Parkway to the St. Johns County line. Monday – Friday, 9 p.m. – 7 a.m., double lane closures on NB I-95 from north of Palm Coast Parkway to the St. Johns County line.

See this week’s full Interstate Construction Report for Flagler, Volusia and St. Johns here.

Announcements/Press Releases:

None.

In Florida and in State Government:

Note: Some proceedings below can be followed live on the Florida Channel. Most legislative proceedings can be followed through the Senate or House websites.

PENCE ANNOUNCES LATINO COALITION: Vice President Mike Pence will appear in Miami to announce a “Latinos for Trump” coalition as part of President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Miami Airport & Convention Center, 711 N.W. 72nd Ave., Miami.)

—-Compiled by the News Service of Florida and FlaglerLive

In Coming Days in Palm Coast, Flagler and the Occasional Beyond:

To include your event in this section, please fill out this form.

[ai1ec view="agenda"]

To include your event in this section, please email the details, including date, time, a brief description of the event, contact information, and, if you wish, an image, please use this form.

A Twitter List by PierreTristam

Keep Up with Donald Trump’s attacks on the press through the ACLU’s running tab here.

Keep Up with mass shootings in a running database here.

Palm Coast Construction and Development Progress Reports

Here’s a summary of the latest city developments as of June 10, 2019, with a link to the full week in review here.

Click to access week-in-review-june-10-20191.pdf

Cultural Coda

Alfredo Keil’s Bohémiens, op. 12, n.º 12, Tomohiro Hatta, piano